Curse of Slytherin Part 1
by Black Sheep
Summary: Harry is having weird dreams. Voldemort tells him a few secrets that he probably wouldn’t have believed under normal circumstances. SSHP
1. Prologue & Disclaimer

Title:               The Curse of Slytherin:  Part 1 - Forming Family Ties, Part 2 - Secrets to Keep, Part 3 - Salazar Slytherin

Author:           Shayla

Warning:          Slash, Rated: R because there might be some rape later, angst I guess should also be added… NOT BETAD!! I don't have anyone to help me out with this so forgive my many mistakes, I'm not a native English-speaker and my friends accuse me of being a Coma-Eater -_-'

And this fic I do not take in consideration OoP.

Started: 19.10.2002

Pairing:           SS/HP

Summary:         Harry is having weird dreams. Voldemort tells him a few secrets that he probably wouldn't have believed under normal circumstances. 

                     After that encounter Harry is not really up to do anything and wants only to be left alone as soon as possible. Sadly, things are never easy for him considering that he has a curse on him that will bring upon the birth of a long dead wizard…

Disclaimer:        I wish Harry Potter were mine, but it isn't…*sighs* I guess there are other people who feel like this, right? ^_^

Note to Part I:     The first part of each chapter will be Voldie's POV and the last is a dream sequence from Harry's POV… just in case it isn't clear… exception to this is the prologue.

Part 1 - Forming Family Ties 

**Prologue**

From the beginnings of humankind our race has always been divided into two group: Those of the dark minds, which would gain their path without looking at those they crushed under them; and those of good will and courage to stand up and fight for the right cause.

Simple minds are those of the humans, they do not define how to realize where one belongs; it always depends on the view… the view and reason of the majority.

Therefore I will always be the darkness, the evil lurking in the back and he will always have the attention and glory for all I have fought so far.

I may say that this is unfair, but throughout my life I have watched the human nature and I have realized that no matter what I do, I will only be a shadow next to him

Sadly, I myself fall into the category of those who are with pride. I seek for it, my name to be never forgotten.

So now, I stand here, in this chamber to my secrets in hope to achieve greatness far beyond anyone's imagination. A spell that will assure my return after my death, to return in one of my blood…


	2. Chapter 01

A/N: This part isn't betad either… Sorry… Please forgive my mistakes, as I said, I'm not a native English speaker, but I try my best. Even if my friends accuse me of being a Coma-Eater -_- . I apologize for it. Chapter 1 

There were many reason for Lord Voldemort actions, he always had at least one. Now, for whether the people understood it, no one was really sure; the point was that he understood it. And to one of those incomprehensible actions you can add his failed attempts to kill the boy known as Harry Potter. No one actually knows why he so desperately seeks the boy's destruction, some say it's revenge; but what was the real reason for it the first time?

The boy did have potential for greatness, but wouldn't it be simply more helpful to make him join his side rather than to get rid of him?

The only living person to know the answers to these questions is Tom Marvolo Riddle and he would be damned if he ever told anyone!

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

"This is ridiculous!" Draco looked over his family tree.

"We must have done something wrong!" Harry looked at his own.

The boys glared at each other.

"Let's do it again!" Draco growled and threw the parchment away

Harry nodded and took his Potion's book out.

He and Draco had gotten detention with Snape after they had started a fight during class and had ended up turning Neville into a toad. Although Snape had been amused by this, as far as the man probably could, it had not save either one of them of loosing house points and ending up cleaning the dungeon classroom. Snape had left after handing them a bucket of water and a sponge. Naturally they had simply taken out their wands and magiced everything in order and had settled to pass the rest of their time trying to kill each other through glaring.

That had been three month ago, and Harry still wasn't sure how they had ended up arguing over their family heritage. The point was that Draco had taken out his potion's material and had started with help of the Potion's book to brew something to enchant a piece of paper. The Slytherin had then cut his finger to let a drop of blood fall on it. Almost immediately lines like branches had started to spread from it all over the paper. Harry had watched amazed as names appeared slowly until one formed a bit farther away from Draco's that made him gasp: Harry Potter. Both of them had starred unbelievable at it. According to this they were related… they were cousins!

Annoyed Draco had said he had done the Potion wrongly and had done another one. Harry had joined in that time, but the result had not changed, not even after two more times.

From then on their behavior towards each other had simply become awkward. Draco had stopped teasing him; he simply avoided Harry and the Gryffindor didn't know much better. Needless to say, this went not unnoticed by their classmates.

Hermione and Ron tried to get it out of Harry, but he simply said that he would not loose his time on a Slytherin and had left them rather quickly, almost fleeing.

Draco on his part made clear that there was no way he would lower himself to a Gryffindor's level, which was even more unbelievable since it did not stop him from bugging the rest of the Gryffindor tower.

This had gone on until Harry had simply gotten bored of it and had caught the Slytherin in the library alone to settle things.

That was a month and a half ago and the two of them had become something like friends in secret. Their behavior to the outside went back to normal, after all what would life become if the two started to be just nice to each other?

*~*~*~*~*

Harry looked up from his plate as Hedwig landed on his shoulder. He stretched his arm out for her to move and to jump easier on the table so she could snatch something to eat from his plate while he read the note she had brought him

Ron glanced curiously at him. "And?"

Harry opened the note: _Can't. Delay by one day. Same. _There was no more, no signature, nothing that could lead to the person's identity. Different people had written every word. Harry sighed and let Ron read it while he patted Hedwig's head and the owl lifted off again.

"You got one of those weird notes again?" Hermione had taken the piece of paper of Ron's hands. "You know, you should start worrying what they are, they make no sense."

Harry knew she was right. To everyone else they made no sense. But to him they did. He knew it came from Draco. He knew what the words meant, so why should he bother saying so? He and Draco had agreed not to share their connections just yet.

"Hermione, you worry too much." He said as he let the note slip into his pocket. "It's probably someone just playing a joke."

"I don't know, Harry, Hermione is right." Ron said between bites. "Maybe you should tell McGonagall, one never knows, especially with You-know-Who being more active lately.

Harry sighed. "Fine let me take care of it."

*~*~*~*~*

He moved nervously from one foot to the other. It was cold in the dungeon were he waited with his father's cloak for Draco to come out of the Slytherin's common room.

"Harry?" he heard a soft call and walked silently to the source. The young Slytherin stood at the entrance of his house waiting for him. He threw carefully the cloak over him too.

"Hi." Harry whispered with a smile.

"Hey, Gryffie." A wicked smile responded.

Harry glared at Draco; his cousin knew he hated that nickname, which was probably why he used it every time he got the chance.

"Where to now?" Draco asked ignoring him.

"Out of this freaking, cold place." Harry said as he rubbed his cold arms. 

His cousin nodded and they headed together for one of the empty classroom in one of the upper levels of the castle. Draco opened the door and took a quick glance.

"Seems safe." He said and Harry followed taking the cloak off.

"My friends are starting to think your notes are some death threatening warnings."

Draco glanced at him. "So?"

Harry shrugged. "We should try some other mean of communication."

The Slytherin sat on the edge of a table. "Fine."

"By the way, what happened that you couldn't come yesterday? Your note didn't give much explanation."

"I had detention in History. " He waved with his hand dismissively. "And it would have become too late for us to meet. You know how Binns thinks living beings don't need to sleep…"

An amused smile was on Harry's lips. "What did you do?"

"Can't you guess?" Draco's eyes glittered evilly. "I wasn't behaving very nicely to one of the Ravenclaws."

"You mean to say, you bugged whatever poor child was damned to sit near you until you practically lost ten to fifteen points for your house." 

Draco snickered.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You don't change!"

"Nope." He lifted a leg up and rested his foot on the edge of the table. "But back to the matter of our notes. How do we keep these meetings up? I mean, it's not like I could walk up to you and say: Hey, Harry, buddy, you wanted me to tell you a lil' bit about myself, how about we meet after lunch?"

Harry laughed; he could pretty much imagine his friend's faces. "I don't know, maybe we could come up with some signs?"

"That might be even worse." Draco sighed. "They might think I'm making a move on you. You know how rumors start, especially about us."

Harry moved a chair to the table and sat down and let his feet rest lazily next to Draco. "Well, what else then?"

"Let's try to sit in Potion's together."

Harry starred at him as though he had just seen Voldemort himself pass by in a pink dress dancing ballet. Draco couldn't help himself and laughed out.

"You were kidding, right?" Harry was still starring at him with wide eyes.

"No, not really- " Draco's lips formed to a wicked smile. "You see, everyone knows we hate each other, so we could simply pretend that we are trying to bug one another by sitting together."

"My Potion's grades are going to puff into nothingness." Harry passed a hand over his face, annoyed.

"Just for two week or so. Com'on, afterwards we think of something else. " He grinned.

"I'll get you in Transfiguration for this. " Harry growled frustrated.

"Maybe… maybe not."

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

Harry sat in the warm sand on the beach, the breeze softly caressing his features. It was peaceful and quite. But soon, with the lowering of the sun at the horizon the darkness would creep into his dreams again. As it did every night lately… He couldn't stop it. Not even the Dream Potions he got in the Infirmary to give him these pleasant dreams or the Dreamless ones, would hinder the darkness to rise.

So he watched tiredly as the sky turned blue and black. As clouds gathered in a storm and the screams of suffering and torture became louder and louder until all there was for him to see and smell was blood.

And like every dream he would wait for the waves of the sea to calm and let the darkness rise from its depth. Clothed in black robes ruby eyes watched him from afar. Always coming closer with every wave and yet unable to cross the line to reach out to him. But the hand waited every time for him to reach back and let himself be lulled down the forbidden path that would surely follow…


	3. Chapter 02

A/N: Well… still not betad, sorry… And yes, I'm still working on my other fics, but I have little time nowadays to dedicate to them. I need some vacations!! -_- *sighs* 

Please enjoy~

Chapter 2 

When I look at myself, I see an old and cranky man who no longer holds that charismatic charm to which people are attracted. No, this man that watches me back has done too many things for the people to either despite or hate him. And as I lift my hand to look at the boy I used to be in the photo, I wonder why I was foolish enough to open the Chamber of Secrets. That was the cause of my doom… The birth of Lord Voldemort…

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

Sleepily Harry turned in his bed unwilling to get up until Ron came over and pulled with a swift movement the covers off him. He let out a protest cry, which Ron quieted again returning the covers to their owner in a bundle landing on Harry's face.

"Get up, or Hermione will have us lynched if we are late for class _again_." The red-haired boy said as he walked out heading for the bathroom.

A little grumpy Harry sat up and yawned. He and Draco had been late up talking again, and Ron had probably seen he wasn't in his bed, explaining the cold waking he had just gotten. Somehow he felt guilty that he didn't tell his friends, but for Draco's and his own safety it was better that no one knew about their family and their growing friendship.

His thoughts wandered back to the first weeks of their night-meetings. They had sat there glaring at each other for most of the time, until they had started slowly to open up to the other. Harry had been surprised to find out that they had much in common. Okay, they had shared Quidditch before their revelation, but now, they had also the same taste in music and books. And yet they had their differences, they could argue for hours about nothing and anything. Draco proved to be quite a good listener and he had just a quick wit, which probably proved his Slytherin side. Harry would bet anything that Draco, if given the chance, could probably get the same sharpness to his mind and mouth as Snape.

He chuckled at the though, Draco respected Snape, but his cousin would most likely kick him if he compared the two. The young Slytherin hungered for individuality that his father had denied him. He lusted for freedom of his soul and mind. He needed to be himself. That was the reason he confined in Harry, he didn't need to pretend to his cousin, there was no one forcing him to it, there was nothing that he needed to prove nor nothing but friendship to gain.

Snape on the other hand, had an aura that radiated a darkness kept at bay. Mystery rounded the tall figure that made him seem dangerous as well as attractive. There was such power and grace in his every move, which sometimes made Harry wonder if the man knew how much power and control he indeed had in the first place. Of course, there also was the use of _that_ voice… 

Harry frowned, when had his thoughts turned to Snape and stopped comparing him with his cousin to start admiring him?

"Are you still not ready?" Ron sighed as he came back in, his wet hair hanging around his face.

"I'm moving, I'm moving…"

*~*~*~*~*

It was Herbology class in which Harry almost fell asleep. Professor Sprout was explaining something about some big animal eating plant when his face hit the table with a heavy thud. Immediately he had leaned back only to gain some amused glances from his classmates, and loose five points for Gryffindor for sleeping in class. Ron glanced at him concerned. Once class ended he and Hermione cornered him.

"Where were you last night?" Asked Ron.

And there was the question he had been dreading all morning. "I couldn't sleep." He lied. He was getting awfully good at it.

"You could have woken me, you know? I was worried…"

Harry sighed. "Look guys, nothing happened, I didn't return earlier because I didn't feel tired so I sneaked up the Astronomy Tower to get some fresh air." He slapped himself mentally, that was just a lame excuse even to his own ears.

"Harry, Ron and I-"

"Well, if that isn't Potter and his sidekicks." 

Harry rolled his eyes annoyed and turned to Draco Malfoy on his way to his next class.

"Malfoy, what do you want?" Harry narrowed his eyes for a moment.

Draco didn't seem to notice though. "Well, I was just asking Goyle if it was true that little orphan Potter had finally decided that he was going to bring the courage to jump on Weasel."

There followed laughter from the bypassing students.

"That, oh-so-famous Gryffindor courage."

Another wave of laughter erupted.

Harry thanked his cousin mentally, that comment would assure him a save escape from his friends questions for a while. "What Malfoy?" he exclaimed dramatically. "Are you jealous that Ron has higher chances than you in this game?!"

Draco's face filled with anger and he stalked pass them to the dungeon. Harry stuck his tongue at the blond like a little child.

"Annoying Slytherin." He muttered for his friends loud enough to register.

Ron laid a hand on his shoulder. "Don't bother, he'll always be a brat."

Hermione nodded and they continued their way to Potion class, all the while Ron trying to bring him off the matter of Malfoy, in the belief that Harry had been upset. He was rather grateful for it, Harry had no intentions on explaining last night events. He followed his friend down the humid corridors of the castle down to the dungeon. He shuddered unwillingly. Every time he came down here he felt back in his dream on the beach, as though the darkness that bounded him to Voldemort would suck him up and he would be unable to fight back. And someday, he knew, he would be unable to resist the invitation that the Dark Lord was offering him. Harry had the feeling that with every passing night the next dream would be more intense and the urge that he could see in the red eyes was increasing with plea.

He shook his head trying to clear his thought as he walked into the classroom and sat down at his usual place. Ron was about to settle down beside him as Draco grabbed him by the arm and pulled him aside before plopping down next to the Gryffindor who starred back at his cousin in disbelieve as they had planned.

"What the hell do you think your doing Malfoy?!" Ron grabbed Draco by the collar of his uniform and pulled him slightly up.

"Ron!" Harry and Hermione called out alarmed.

Just in that moment the door was slammed closed and Professor Snape glared icily at them. It was as though he had just taken every bit of warmth with him as he glided towards them. He raised an eyebrow at Ron who starred at him. Then the red-haired boy's eyes wandered to the direction Snape was looking. His hands were still around the Slytherin's shirt's collar. Immediately he let go like he had been burned.

"That will be fifteen points from Gryffindor Weasley for attacking one of my students and a whole week of detention with Filch for doing so in my classroom." The professor hissed narrowing his eyes dangerously at them.

Draco snickered while Harry tried to look with compassion at his friend gaping at their Potion Master before  he scrambled to sit next to Hermione in the front row. So to keep their act up Harry gave Draco an evil glare, which was received with an amused smile from the Slytherin.

During class, Snape glanced suspiciously at the pair. Harry felt a cold shudder run down his spin as he tried rigidly to maintain his mind focused on his work while Draco tried just as fiercely to sabotage his potion without catching their Professor's attention. So obviously by the end of class, Harry had to present two broken cauldron, 40 points from Gryffindor, a pity look from Neville who had managed to do his work correctly due the fact that the Potion Master was far more occupied trying to prevent Harry from killing his Slytherin than pestering the other Gryffindor, and to top that a week detention with Snape. The man had made it clear that making Harry and Ron do their detention together would probably end up in the result of a non-existing dungeon if Harry's talent for the subject left anything to say. Needless to mention that Harry was far from relieved as he was released from class and he could go strangle a grinning cousin the first chance he got. But then he thought otherwise and decided that he would spare Draco the joy of afterlife for a little while longer if he might as well pay it back in Transfiguration class after lunch.

*~*~*~*~*

Harry tried very hard to suppress the smile that was fighting its way to his lips. When he had earlier that day thought about getting back at his cousin, he certainly hadn't imagined he would end up turning Draco into a bunny-human thing. Class had ended a while back and the two of them and the professor were the only ones remaining in the room. The Slytherin's pale eyes glared furiously at him as Professor McGonagall tried amused to undo the white long ears that Harry had caused during class. Harry could see that his cousin was biting his tongue as not to burst out like a spoiled child.

"Well, Mr. Potter, I do not know for sure what exactly you did to your classmate, but whatever it was, it will take me some time to undo." The professor said her eyes twinkling like Dumbledore's when he offered his Lemon Drops.

"What?!" Draco shrieked alarmed. "You can't be serious! I can't go out of this room with those things on my head! Let alone with this fluffy white thing on my ass!!" he pointed indignantly at his tail.

Harry exploded into laughter. He couldn't control himself much longer. He grabbed for a table to maintain some balance while with his other hand he held to his stomach as he cringed in amusement.

"I'm going to kill you Potter!!" Draco growled as he trembled in fury and ran out of the classroom.

"I…" Harry tried hard to stop laughing but to no success. "I'm sorry." It was hard to sound convincing when he had a grin spread from ear to ear on his face.

McGonagall chuckled and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Harry. I'll tell Professor Snape to give Mr. Malfoy something to turn him back to his old self." She smiled. "And next time, you should really think of another animal, Mr. Potter. If I remember correctly, others already succeeded at a ferret for your Slytherin classmate."

If Harry had thought that the whole situation had been amusing, then now, with the image of Ferret-Bunny-Draco in his mind, it was hilariously insane. He cracked into more laughter, this time his Head of House joining in. He couldn't recall a time when he had laughed this hard at the moment. 

The two of them were found like this two minutes later by the Potion Master who slammed the door open causing the Gryffindors to jump up alarmed.

"I don't think there is anything amusing in turning a capable classmate into some mutant creature." He hissed glaring at Harry who felt himself blush at the stare.

"Oh, Severus, accidents happen in class. You should know it better than anyone else." Minerva grinned. "Don't you always go around complaining about Mr. Longbottom's failures in your classroom?"

Obsidian eyes narrowed dangerously. "Potter is not Longbottom, Minerva! He's capable of doing things correctly." 

Harry felt his check warm, had Snape just giving him a compliment?

"Therefore, I do not think this was a mere accident!"

Anger rose in the Gryffindor. How dared the man accuse him of wanting to harm Draco? Okay, he didn't know that they were family, but god, Harry never meant to do anything wrong to anyone. Okay, maybe to Voldemort every now and then, but that was completely understandable. Besides, who didn't think of kicking the Dark Lord's butt once in while?

"I didn't do it on purpose, sir!" he said trying to defend himself, but quieted the moment those black eyes turned to him. They burned somehow into Harry's skin making him uncomfortable and itchy all over. It was sort of … arousing? Harry wanted to hide somewhere in shame. He had NOT just thought that!

"Harry, leave us alone." McGonagall said hushing him out. "We'll talk later about this."

The door closed behind him and he hurried back to the Gryffindor Tower trying to forget the pounding of his heart and the longing he suddenly felt.

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

Gently the wind caught in is hair ruffling it amiably as the sun settled at the horizon. The warmth of the sand on his skin as Harry watched tiredly the so familiar scene unfold before him. The waves of the water moved calmly reaching to his feet yet never touching him. Tentatively he passed a hand over the surface yet not making contact, sensing that it might be wrong. 

The sweet exotic scents change into the nauseated smell of death. 

He looked up at the ruffling of the cloak moving through the salty water. Fire like eyes looking pleadingly at him as a hand was out stretched. It waited, as Harry knew it would. The need to reach back was suffocating. How long would he be able to fight the desire to give in to the dark creature? How long…


	4. Chapter 03

A/N: Again not betad… and on another note… Part 1 is somewhat lighter in the mood than part 2 is turning out right now… Chapter 3 

Human beings always seek power. They want to hold it hoping that it makes them strong and wishing to protect themselves with it. Power is a pure thing that is not corrupted until its holder chooses the meaning of its use. The way on which I handle my power is my own and I have to hold its consequences even if I didn't mean for the outcome to happen. Therefore I will always be seen as the Dark Lord. The evil lurking in the night waiting for the moment to rise and to strike down the weak with my strength. 

Can I not undo my destiny? Will I always remain the dark puppet held by the unknown puppeteer that I so loathe for destroying my life? 

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

Harry opened his eyes tiredly as Hedwig landed on his bed and pulled at his hair to catch his attention. He yawned and sat up seeing that it was still dark outside.

"Hedwig, what are you doing here?" he asked quietly in order not to wake his roommates.

The owl lifted her wings and hopped closer. He saw a parchment around her leg. He reached down and loosened the string that attached it to her and pulled the letter out. Yawning again he rubbed his eyes before unfolding the paper. He was immediately awake as he recognized the handwriting to be that of his godfather. It seemed to be written in haste and the letters were hard to make out with the little light that the moon was providing through the open window. Pulling the curtains of his bed close he cast a light spell brightening the small space. Hedwig remained quiet cleaning her feathers with her beak. 

Harry read quickly over the letter and sighed relieved as he came to the part that Sirius was safe although some Death Eaters had almost gotten hold of him and Professor Lupin. It appeared that his godfather would soon be coming to Hogwarts, probably in the course of the next weeks. Harry smiled, this were actually good news. He reached out and patted Hedwig before undoing his spell and opening the curtains to let her out. 

"I'll give you later some treats, I don't have any at hand right now." He explained as she jumped at the window turning to him expectantly. 

She seemed a little upset by it but flew away before Harry had the chance to say anything else. He sighed and pushed the note under his pillow laying back into the mattress. 

But somehow sleep eluded him right now and so Harry found himself wondering about his current situation with his cousin and thinking if it would be wise to tell Sirius about it. Probably not, whatever had to do with Slytherin was not on his godfather's good side. It was like telling him that he was starting to like… eh…respect Snape.

He shook his head lightly. Where had that though just come from?

Okay, Harry knew for fact the dangers the Potion Master was putting himself into by going back to Voldemort as a spy for the headmaster. He had saved Harry's life more often than he probably was aware of and he treated Harry not kindly but not as bad as Neville either. 

He turned in his bed. 

Well, Snape probably hated him, but he certainly was doing a good job at keeping Harry in one piece, and the Gryffindor knew that he could count on the professor to be around when he was most needed. Then again Draco would be there too now…

He sighed and looked up at the ceiling as he lay on his back. 

Draco was a case for himself. While Snape was a sneaky, cold and sometimes, okay, most times a really unfair and mean bastard. Draco was just sneaky and mean. Since the two of them had started to come to know each other better during the last weeks, Harry had learned to see past the mask of many people. First it had been just Draco's. The Slytherin was rather annoying in public, but he could be a very good friend and truly loyal when it came down to it. 

The next one had he had seen past his charade was of course Snape. The man was the worst to hack and to see the real Severus Snape that was hiding behind a mask of loathing and annoyance towards those that plagued his everyday.

Harry had to admit that his feeling for Snape were kind of twisted and split. Recalling his first years at Hogwarts he had always detested Snape in the believe that the other wanted him more dead than alive, but as he started to grow up and mature his view on life, he had come to see that sometimes things were never what they seem. Nowadays, he had to admit, that he found the professor's attitude rather amusing as long as the bad moods were not directed on him, which wasn't very often. Harry still was, next to Neville, Snape's favorite target to embarrass and pick on. 

Thinking about the Potion Master, he remembered that next night he had detention with him for the incident in his first class in which Draco sat next to him. He groaned annoyed. He would probably get to scrub the dungeon floor with a toothbrush, or at least, that was Ron's opinion before he had fallen asleep. Even if he had to work, it would give him a good chance to see how far he was into reading Snape's mask. Maybe it wouldn't be half as bad.

*~*~*~*~*

"Who is it that has you so deep in thoughts?"

Harry looked startled at Draco next to him in Transfiguration class. "What do you mean?"

Looking from the corner of his eye at him Draco said: "You have been awfully quiet, I didn't get even a decent joke on my ears from you today."

Harry smiled. "Oh, that's it then, you feel neglected by me. Want some nice little fur to add to your current state?" He let his eyes wander to the white bunny ear on his side. Snape hadn't been able to get rid of them, he needed to brew the antidote first and that apparently took various days, and so his cousin had to walk in public with them. 

"Evading my question won't help you." Draco said as he concentrated back on Professor McGonagall's speech on transmutation.

"I know, but the thought of you in fur is rather amusing." Harry tried not to grin too much. "Don't you think so?"

Draco leaned his head on his hand as he probed his elbow on the table. "Hmm…"

They remained quiet after that, but as Harry glanced down at his notebook as class ended, he found in Draco's writing a message: in 15 minutes, third floor second door on the right. 

Harry quickly gathered his things together but Ron caught up with him outside on the corridor. "Harry, wait up!"

Sighing mentally he turned around. "Sorry Ron, I forgot my homework up in the dorm. I have to hurry and get it. I'll meet you and Hermione later in the Great Hall." With this said he ran off.

"I think he's hiding something." Hermione said as she reached Ron and they watched Harry disappear around the corner.

He turned to her. "Is it that obvious?" he asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

She shrugged. "Yes, but what can we do? As long as he doesn't tell us what is going on, there isn't much we can do to help him." She crossed her arms. "But I know it has something to do with Malfoy, they have been much nicer to each other than usual."

Ron raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Hermione nodded for him to follow her. "Remember when they evaded each other for weeks and then all of the sudden they started to treat each other badly?"

He nodded. 

"Something must have happened…. I don't know what, but…" She drifted off. "Whichever the case, we have to keep an eye on him. If Malfoy is doing something to him, harming him in anyway or, I don't know, blackmailing Harry, then we have to find out and tell Dumbledore!"

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Ron asked.

"Stalking Malfoy?" Hermione suggested.

Ron rolled his eyes not pleased with Hermione's idea. "Let's just see how things develop, 'Mione. Maybe we're worrying over nothing."

She sighed. "Okay, maybe I'm just being paranoid…"

*~*~*~*~*

Harry entered the room in which Draco was already waiting for him. He closed the door behind him glancing curiously at his cousin. 

"What's up?" Harry asked as he walked over to the front where the other was sitting at the window.

Draco's bunny ears twitched slightly as he turned to face him. "I've been meaning to tell you something for days Harry, but every time I thought about it, I just couldn't bring the courage up to do so." 

Harry smiled. "Well, what is it?"

His cousin sighed deeply looking back outside. "Where should I start?"

The Gryffindor shrugged and settled across him on a chair he brought along from near the door. "How about at the beginning?"

Draco smiled sadly. "If it where that easy, don't you think I would have already told you?"

"Draco, for the last couple of days you have been acting strangely anyway. Even before your ears." He tugged at one of them and the other slapped his hand away. Harry rolled his eyes. "It started when your father called you back home for the weekend…"

"Hmm…" 

"Look, Hermione and Ron are expecting me any moment in the Great Hall, if you could just tell me what's on your mind, then I might be able to help you." He laid a hand on the other's shoulder.

The blond boy shook his head. "That is just it! You can't help me." Throwing Harry's hand aside he got up to his feet and walked towards the door. "Never mind, I tell you another time…" This said he left the room while Harry remained by himself behind with a concerned expression on his face.

*~*~*~*~*

The thing that Draco wanted to tell him didn't leave Harry for the rest of the day, even when he was sitting up his detention with Snape that night. He wondered what it was that Draco was struggling with himself so hard that he couldn't tell Harry straight away. He was so focused on this that the Potion Master ended up scolding him and ordered him to concentrate on his work.

The professor had Harry help him chop and squash, cut and clean all the ingredients he needed to fill up Madam Pomfrey's reserves. It was an annoying job and since he was not really in thinking about what exactly he was doing he had ended up cutting himself various times by now. He sighed; it was like when he was smaller and his Aunt Petunia had him doing the chores in the kitchen and had started to teach him how to cook for them. He had cut his fingers more often than he liked to recall at the moment. But Harry had succeeded on the long run and he loved to cook nowadays. He liked how he could mix things together and have different results at the end even if he used he same ingredients in just a different order. He enjoyed marveling his work at the end and he had to admit that it made him proud when Dudley let a positive comment out once in a while.

Suddenly he froze. It hit him with such a force that he gaped open-mouthed for a few moments. He dropped the knife on the table and curled over in laughter next. He couldn't help it. The whole idea of cooking being just like potion brewing was ridiculous, especially if he considered that it took him years to figure it out consciously. He surely must have made the connection earlier, but it was just today that it really became clear to him.

Tears came out of the corner of his eyes as he held onto the table with his hands unable to stop laughing. God, it felt good to laugh out like this.

"Potter!!" Snape glared at him, but it didn't have the wished effect on Harry. 

The boy laughed on, Harry had no idea what made the realization so amusing to him.

The professor raised curiously an eyebrow and walked over to Harry wondering if the boy had finally gone mad. "Would you mind telling me what is so funny?"

Harry opened his eyes smiling for the first time without fear at his professor. "This is just like cooking." He said trying to calm down again, yet unable to stop grinning. "You prepare the ingredients and then you add them together to get the perfect result." He smiled down at his work. "I just found it funny that it took me this long to realize that I could actually add up something that I don't like with something I'm actually good at and enjoy doing." He shook his head in amusement. 

Snape just starred at him not knowing really what to say to this. He watched Harry return back to work, the boy's hands moving with far more security and precision than before, his cutting was exactly the way it was needed. Not wasting any movements. He glanced impressed at the change. This was unexpected; maybe Potter wasn't a complete loss as his father…

*~*~*~*~*

Ron couldn't believe as he saw Harry enter the common room beaming from ear to ear.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with my friend?" he asked as Harry dropped down next to him on the couch where he was playing chess with Neville.

"Com'on Ron, can't I be happy once in a while?" Harry asked as he noticed Neville to move his knight to kill Ron's queen.

"Not if you just came from detention with Snape and are still in a good mood to help Neville winning." He growled as Neville held the pieces of his queen up after his knight had gotten rid of her.

Harry leaned back satisfied. "Snape actually said something positive to me! He told me I had done a good work, no nasty comment accompanying it at all!!"

Ron and Neville gapped at him. 

"You're kidding, right?" Neville asked unbelievable.

Harry shook his head and put his hands behind it. "Nope!" Jumping to his feet. "I'm gonna tell Hermione and I have to write Snuffles about this!"

Ron sighed after Harry had disappeared upstairs. "And I was worrying for nothing."

Neville grinned. "Yes, so much that you just lost."

"What?!" Ron exclaimed before letting a defeated groan out. "Man, I can't believe it."

Neville gathered the pieces to put away. "Well, believe it or not, you own me two chocolate frogs and one of your witches and wizards cards."

"Argh! Today is _not_ my day!" 

Neville patted his shoulder with a smile plastered on his face. "No, it isn't."

Ron glared at him. "Yeah, make fun of the poor Weasley."

The other laughed.

*~*~*~*~*

Draco watched his cousin as he entered the greenhouse where they were having Herbology. For the last couple of days the other seemed to be somehow absentminded, more than usual. It was rather intriguing. Then again anything concerning Harry Potter was something of Draco's interest. He wanted to understand the other since they had started to become friends. 

So after class, he waited at the exit making sure Harry noticed that he was staying behind and would send his two sidekicks, okay, friends on without him. He remained in the shadow of the building leaning on the wall making sure no one noticed his presence.

Harry passed by shortly after and he followed calmly eventually catching up with him and walking side by side.

"So, what's up?" Harry asked while they continued their way towards their next class, which was Care of Magical Creatures.

Draco laid his hands behind his head. "I have been wondering, are you in love?" 

His cousin froze, his gaze fixed on the ground, his face red. He blushed so hard that even his ears turned a feverish color. Slowly a smile spread on Draco's face and his eyes glinted mischievously. "You are?!" It sounded like a statement.

Harry spun waving defensively with his hands. "It's not what you think!"

Draco leaned forward to him grinning and narrowing his eyes. "It isn't?"

If there was a way to get possibly more flushed, than Harry had just discovered it. "Aah! Stop saying such things! We're going to be late." turning around and running on he left Draco standing were he was. But the Slytherin had already gathered the information he wanted. Now he only had to find the person responsible for Harry's light-headedness. His eyes brightened amused, it would only be a matter of time to figure it out.

*~*~*~*~*

Severus watched Potter closely in class; he had unexpectedly taken this habit of watching him when no one was paying attention especially the boy. After the incident during detention the Gryffindor had gotten better and better in class. Severus had to admit that the boy had some talent unlike others in his family. Also there was the sudden interaction between Young Malfoy and Potter. It appeared to others that those two hated each other but the Potion Master hadn't become a spy and Slytherin's Head of House for nothing. He was good at detecting lies and seeing the truth that lay in people's heart when he made his mind up to it. And those two were just playing of their attitude towards each other for whatever reasons. He had even come to see the two of them talking politely to each other and even laughing together when they had thought to be alone.

It was interesting how people changed when they think that they are unobserved. They let all their walls down and allowed you to see into the abyss of their souls finding the real person inside.

Potter smiled as he took the cauldron of the fire to cool down and took a glance inside. Malfoy mouthed something and the other suppressed a smile, Severus could see the corner of the boy's mouth twitching up. 

A Slytherin raised his arm up asking for him to come over. Rolling annoyed his eyes he made his way over seeing from the corner of his eye as Potter glanced up curiously at him. Severus found himself reminding himself to concentrate on answering the brat's question as he saw the disaster that was in the cauldron. Very tempted to deduce points from his own House, he scowled and snapped at the insufferable child who dared to sit in his classroom and present him with such a foolhardily done job. In the end he ended up given away detention with Filch, he had no intention to take care of a lousy case of incompetence that resembled Longbottom's. He even said that out loud.

Finally class ended and he settled down in his chair behind his desk relieved to have survived another class with the Gryffindor's walking case of destruction and apparently the new Slytherin one. The door closed but not before he saw Potter turn to glance curiously at him again.

The Potion Master narrowed his eyes. What was Potter up to again?

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

He sat, as every night lately in his dream, at the beach, the sand caressing his skin as he passed his hand through it. The sun was already lowering at the far horizon and soon the cold and dark waves would come towards him. He reached with his hand up to pass a hand through his hair. He was tiered by this dream; it drained great amounts of energy from him and the one who called out. He was aware that once he awoke in the morning his body would feel heavy like he had done nothing but exercise. It was a good thing that Quidditch kept him trained, otherwise the effects of this might wear him so much out that it would start marking his behavior and attitude in public.

The smell of his surrounding started to change. The metallic scent of blood intensified with every time that the waves moved closer to him. Back and forth they came and the darkness with it. And from the depth the hooded figure surfaced, his eyes as pain-filled as he recalled it, his pleading even more intense now than before even as no sound was voiced.

The pale hand extended towards him.

What should he do? He wanted so desperately to ease the other's so obvious suffering and yet he feared that it might be the worst that he could do. But how long could he resist anyway? It was his choice after all. Why not give in? Why not see if it might be the right path to walk upon? Unless he chose it how would he ever know if what he did was wrong or right? 

And tentatively he reached back, his hand hovering just above the other's. His heartbeat was increasing as he felt the magic that was starting to rise around him. He twitched slightly back, but then the hooded figure stretched up for the first time his other hand.

This was it; he would have to choose now.

And so he took the offered invitation feeling his body pulled into the vortex of his own magic and that of the stranger.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Well, I hope you like it this far. Review if you like… or not, it's up to you ^_^.


	5. Chapter 04

Chapter 4 

Even the devil has a soul…

Does this mean I am not completely doomed to suffer in this eternal life that was given to me by that so called things named fate?

Can I be redeemed of the crimes I have committed as a cruel dark ruler, or is this god's punishment for being an ever so curious person. Why is this blood that flows through my veins cursed? 

What did Salazar Slytherin think when he chose this path for those who would follow his name? 

I cannot understand why I have to play the dark master? I don't want to, I never did! Yet my will is not strong enough to resist this spell upon me that forces me to continue on this path. 

Is fate and destiny something that is already foretold?

I cannot believe it! 

I will bring an end to this!! No one deserves this kind of life as I have had it! 

No one…

My name wouldn't be Tom Riddle if I wouldn't be able to find the flaw in this scheme of nightmares!

I will break it, somehow…

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

The walls of Hogwarts trembled; the stones were breaking out of their foundations, the magic was called out of them and a vortex was forced to open through them. The castle's heir was calling for them to rend their power and his will had to be followed. The mere magical essence of Hogwarts knew that this call could not be evaded; it was its duty to answer to the one whose blood was strong as the one that had first gathered them here in the first place. 

And so the castle supported the spell that was cast to retrieve one of the young ones that resided in them, the one who had so often in the past wandered through its magnificent structure and admired the work of the ancient wizards and witches that had once stood here and joined their forces to create this building. The young one of two lines of blood… The youngest heir.

The violent move of the earth's surface awoke the residents from their sleep. Shelves, pictures, furniture, everything shook along causing things to crash and break on the grounds. And as sudden as this quake had started, it stopped again. Yet the castle felt drained, his defenses were greatly damaged and it would take some time and help to recover from this.

*~*~*~*~*

The teachers tried hard to control the situation; the students were panicked. The infirmary was overflowing with injured students from all houses; even the House Elves had been wounded during the earthquake.

Hermione looked through the room filled with students for Harry. She and Ron had separated a while back after they had realized that their friend was gone. She had even gone to ask Malfoy, but the Slytherin had shaken his head and then had run off. His expression had cracked into concern for a moment, before it had been masked by his selfish smirk.

Finally she saw some teachers gathered at the far end of the corridor. She made her way through the crowd of students towards her Head of House and the Headmaster.

"Professor!" she called out and the two turned to her.

"Miss Granger, we don't have time to-"

"Professor, Harry is missing!" she interrupted her.

The two teachers' eyes widened.

"What do you mean he's missing?" McGonagall asked.

"Ron and I have been looking for him all over. He wasn't in his room when the earthquake started and we can't find him anywhere else, I even asked some of the house elves to help us search but to no success." She said concerned for her friend.

"Albus!" the Potion Master came quickly towards them. "Albus, the wards have fallen out completely, the castle will be visible to anyone now."

The headmaster took a deep breath. "That's not our only problem." He turned to Hermione. "You and Mr. Weasley continue your search, I'll let you know if we find anything." He laid a hand on her shoulder before nodding the other two teachers to follow him. 

*~*~*~*~*

Dumbledore sat down at his desk while Minerva and Severus each took a seat nearby.

"That was no earthquake." Said the Transfiguration professor. "I could feel the magic involved in this."

The headmaster sighed. "Not only that, my dear, but I believe that it is a far more serious matter now." He took a pack of parchments out of the drawer of his desk and handed them to the Potion Master. "This is something that only one person could have caused."

"Voldemort."

Minerva glanced shocked at Severus as the man looked quickly over the papers handed to him. "What do you mean?"

"It is said that the heir of one of the founders can call upon the castles magical power to do his will, but that usually requires the will and acceptance of one of the other founders or heirs." Albus explained. 

"But that is impossible, none of the other heirs are known…" Minerva spoke slowly not sure if what she was saying was indeed the truth.

"You never told them how Young Potter defeated the Basilisk down in the Chamber of Secrets, did you?" the Sorting Hat spoke from one of the shelves and the teachers turned to it. "Young Potter called upon his ancestors sword… Hard to do indeed, if one considers his strong heritage…"

Albus stood up and walked over to the Hat and lifted it up and taking something long shed in clothing from underneath it handing it to Minerva. She tugged at the thin leather bands holding it together and then unfolded the clothing bringing to view a silver sword with red jewels carved into it. And written in great letter over the blade one could read the name Godric Gryffindor.

"Impossible!" Severus and Minerva said in unison.

"Are you telling us Potter is the heir of Gryffindor and that he willingly helped Voldemort?" Severus asked doubtfully. "Not even that brat is that stupid."

Minerva was about to comment on that but Albus spoke first. "The boy has gone missing, Severus. For all we know Voldemort might have tricked him and then he took the boy with him. Of course I can only speculate…"

The Potion Master sighed. "I understand." He said resigning to the fact that he would have to go see the Dark Lord and see for Potter's safe return. "But I can't assure you that I will succeed… Not under these circumstance."

The old man nodded. "Just be careful…"

And they watched the Potion Master make their way out.

*~*~*~*~*

Severus made his way through the castle down to the dungeon to get his Death Eater robes and mask. There was an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him that something really bad was going to happen and that his life was going to have a major turn about. He felt just the same way he had all those years ago, when he had realized that following Lucius was going to change him and his future forever. And back then it had ended him falling into Voldemort's hand and who knew what would await him now.

"Professor!" 

Severus turned around to see Draco Malfoy coming from behind a fallen statue. "Mr. Malfoy, I'm in a hurry."

Draco came closer and took a quick glance around. "Professor, it's important!" he spoke quietly. "I need to speak to you privately."

Severus thought for a moment of sending the boy away, but then he remember the moments he had seen him with Potter when they thought no one was around. Maybe the boy had some answers. "Follow me then." He said and made his way into his office closing the door behind them. "Now tell me what was so important that it can't wait for later."

Draco took a deep breath. "My father wants you to come and see him. It seemed to be very important." he finally said although Severus could see in the boy's eyes that that was not the true reason for his being here.

"Is that all?"

Draco nodded.

Severus opened the door. "Then leave, I have things to do."

Draco opened his mouth to say something else, but then shook his head and left but not before hearing as the door closed after him the voice of the Potion Master. "I'll go to your father once Potter is found."

The blond turned, but he was alone in the dark corridor.

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

The sun was rising at the beach again, this was the first time he had actually seen it and had not awoken in the middle of the night in a long time. There was no sound but that of he ocean moving gently.

And then a hand lay on his shoulder and he looked up to see fiery eyes looking down at him.

"Wake up, Harry Potter… Wake up…"


	6. Chapter 05

Chapter 5 

In the ancient days god said: "Let there be light." Light then took form, but those of the dark said: "Let light die." and the world was engulfed by darkness. So this is what existed first in the world... entwined by light and darkness... We live trapped in a world that does not show us the right path. This world is nothing but an illusion created by our own thoughts and maddening prejudices. 

For those reasons alone, you will stand before me, as so often in the past, in the need to take my life and free yourself from my shadow…

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

Harry opened his eyes slowly to find himself in a large room with dark curtains and shelves filled with books all over the walls. There was only one seat there, and it was there were he was lying. The little light that came from the candles at a door did not allow him to see much more. Slowly he sat up, his feet touching the ground now.

"You have awoken…"

His head spun around to see a tall hooded figure appearing from the shadows. He shuddered, he hadn't noticed the stranger, but he could feel the dark presence radiating from him… The same way it did in his dreams.

"Who are you?" Harry asked a little bit intimidated.

"To that later, there are other important things I need to tell you before you return to Hogwarts." The man said. 

Harry narrowed his eyes leaning his head to the side slightly; he knew that voice, although at the moment he couldn't quite say from where or to whom it belonged. The man moved closer and extended a hand towards Harry as the boy recalled it from the nights in which he dreamt about him. His mind screamed to run away, but the Gryffindor in him told him that if he had already come this far, he might as well go until the end. And so he took the offered hand, feeling dry and cold skin against his own. He was pulled up to his feet and then pulled along to leave the room. They wandered through dark hallways marked by time through the cracks in the walls that were visibly whenever they passed a chandelier hanging on the wall.

He wanted to ask where they were, but the man was walking awfully careful around, so he decided against it. It seemed to Harry that he was trying to avoid being discovered. They stopped at a corner and the hooded man glanced quickly around.

"When I'll tell you, you run." He whispered.

Harry nodded looking up and seeing the fiery eyes for an instant as the man moved to look again around the corner.

"Now." And he pulled at Harry's hand spurting quickly down the better-lighted corridor storming into a room and closing the door quickly and as silently as possible behind them.

A sigh escaped the hooded man and he pulled a wand out casting silencing charms and other spells at the door and their surrounding. Harry took the time to take a look around. This room was bright and decorated in dark green and calming blue colors. The shelves were a dark ebony color and Harry had the feeling to be sitting somewhere in the middle of the forest.

His hand was let go off and the man moved over to seat and motioned Harry to sit across him. The boy followed uneasily.

"You probably can tell that you're no longer in nor anywhere near Hogwarts." He said to Harry, and the boy nodded vaguely. "I called you because it is important that you know of the spell your parents did on you Harry…"

"The spell?" He blinked. "You mean about the one that stopped Voldemort from killing me?"

"Sort of…" the man said. "Tell me Harry, how much do you know about the Legends of the Founders of Hogwarts?"

He shrugged. "Not much, I mean, I know about that the founders used to get along pretty well until Salazar Slytherin left because he thought that the choosing of new students should simply be done from those of magical families. He left the school then…" he paused. "And well, also the thing about the Chamber of Secrets."

The other leaned back in his seat. "No one ever told you about the Curse of Slytherin, did they?"

"The Curse… of Slytherin?" this was a first.

"Let me tell you a story, Harry, a story that has long been forgotten. A story of betrayal of friendship… A story that you won't find in any history book, it is a story that is only passed down in those families that are blood related to Salazar Slytherin… or those who are burdened to carry on with the curse…"

*~*~*~*~*

Severus aparated to the outsides of Riddle Manor hoping to find Harry in one piece, if what Dumbledore said was true, Voldemort had summoned the boy to him. He could still barely believe that the Dark Lord possessed the ability to bring down the school defenses down to nothing. Severus had been able to leave the castle from his own quarters; there hadn't been any need to leave the boundaries of the magical seal around the castle's ground. 

He made his way towards the manor his heart beating wildly in his chest as though it were trying to warn him of an upcoming danger. He pulled his robes around him hiding his face behind the white mask and entered. 

A this time of night, there were very few Death Eater's running around Voldemort's hideout, yet still enough to worry if they should discover that he was here to take the boy back with him.

He kicked himself mentally. How come he hadn't known about the Dark Lord's plans? Even Lucius hadn't said anything, and that was considering that his old schoolmate was the Snake Lord's right hand. He knew practically everything that was going to be done.

He moved quietly through the empty and dark hallways down to the cellars were the prisoners were kept. He should better start looking down there. He certainly hoped the boy was still all right… Damn it! All this might blew his cover as a spy for Dumbledore! That boy definitely brought too much trouble up.

*~*~*~*~*

Harry couldn't believe what he had been told. "Are you telling me that Salazar Slytherin didn't leave the school and his own free will?!" he shook his head. "I mean that's almost as ridiculous as what you're saying about Gryffindor."

"I am only telling you the truth, whether you believe it or not, is your choice." The man said.

Harry passed a hand through his hair. According to what he had been told Salazar and Godric used to be best friend. But what had caused those two to become enemies? "It's can't just have been Godric's request of him to get out…"

The man shook his head lightly. "I doubt that was the true reason. But I don't know the whole story myself. All I can tell you is that Salazar did great things for the world and that the people acknowledged them as though Gryffindor had done it. While Slytherin remained working, the other took the credit and never cleared the fact that he hadn't done it alone…"

"That's ridiculous!" Harry said, but his voice showed that he wasn't so sure about it. "Why are you telling me this? I don't understand…"

The man leaned closer. "Because you are a heir to Slytherin as much as you are an heir to Gryffindor."

He gapped at the hooded one. "Wha- What?!"

"You speak Parseltongue." The hooded stated.

"Yes, but that because Voldemort passed some of his powers to me…" his voice trembled in disbelief.

The man laughed, a bitter laughter. "I should have know that Dumbledore would come up with an explanation suitable for him." He sighed. "I might be true that you received some powers that night, but Parsel can't be transferred like that. It is something that is already part of you."

"But I was able to call out Godric Gryffindor's sword down in the Chamber!" Harry protested jumping up to his feet. Suddenly the air around them seemed to freeze and Harry had the urge to run away from this man. This stranger that yet seemed so familiar.

"You were in the Chamber?" the voice had become cold and distant.

Harry nodded slowly.

"Dear Merlin… I'm too late…"

*~*~*~*~*

He stepped down the dark stairs holding his wand up to lighten the path down to the dungeons of the mansion. The air was unpleasantly filled with death and rotten scents mixed with the already natural humid air. The guards looked up to him as he came into their view. He nodded to them raising his sleeve and showing his mark. They nodded and returned their attention to their current card game. Severus proceeded. For a moment he considered asking the guards for information, but they might find it suspicious discovering his intentions and he might not get a chance to help the boy.

He glanced here and there to find either empty cells or horrible misfortune creatures that were barely alive. His hands were starting to sweat as he approached the end of the dungeon and there was still no sign of Potter. Cursing under his breath he knew he had no other choice but to look through the other rooms of the mansion. He shuddered, who knew what he might encounter there, he had never liked this house, it was freaking, even to him.

*~*~*~*~*

"What do you mean too late?" Harry asked in with a rising fear. "Too late for what?!"

The other passed a hand over his face. "The chamber is the trigger of the curse." Harry saw red eyes glancing at him from underneath the shadows of the hand and the hood. "It awakens in anyone who is blood related to Salazar Slytherin."

Harry smiled nervously. "Wait, I… I don't have any curse on me. " His lips twitched slightly not sure if he was truly speaking the truth. "I… I can't have curse on me! I would have noticed! That was four years ago!!" he was panicking a little. "I can't." he repeated to assure himself that he was really right. 

"Calm down!" the other said in a harsh tone that made Harry shudder unwillingly. "Are you sure that you didn't feel any difference after you left the chamber?"

Harry passed a hand through his hair sighing. "Look everything went really fast down there. I mean, I had just killed that snake and had destroyed the diary… and then … " he broke off.

"You killed the guardian snake?" the other questioned.

Harry nodded. "Well, either that or have it kill me."

"Why didn't you order it to stop?"

Harry waved dramatically with his hands. "Hello! Voldemort was controlling it!"

The other seemed startled by this. "What?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "There was this diary of his from when he was at school and let's just say he wasn't very pleased with the idea to have been defeated by a child…"

He chuckle softly. "How the hell did that thing end up in Hogwarts? I thought it had gotten lost."

"Malfoy!" Harry answered bitterly. "Lucius Malfoy somehow managed to get it in."

There was a long pause after that before either of them spoke again and it was the hooded man who addressed Harry first. "Let's concentrate on more important matters again." He didn't give time to Harry to reply. "As I was telling you the curse is passed on by blood. And the families who have that line try hard to keep it pure in order to have Salazar Slytherin return one day. The curse says that the wizard or witch with the purest blood that enters the Chamber shall be granted the knowledge and powers of the old wizard."

"I wouldn't necessary called that a curse then…" Harry said slowly knowing instantly that that wasn't all to it.

"Yes, if it weren't for the fact that Salazar's soul would be reawakened in that body." The hooded man sighed.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "But what would happen to the soul of-"

"It would disappear. Absorbed and the body left for Slytherin to use at his will and command."

Green eyes starred shocked at red one. "You can't be serious! That's… That's horrible!!" he almost shrieked jumping to his feet..

"Sh!!" the other hushed him to quiet down again. "Do you want to be discovered you idiot!"

Harry bit down on his lip guiltily and settled back in his seat. "Are you telling me that Salazar will come out of my body?"

"Not necessarily…" 

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"You see, if you haven't felt anything else until now, I doubt that the curse had much effect on you…" he saw Harry sigh in relieve. "But I'm not sure about that. I mean, when I entered the chamber I felt nothing. No changes whatsoever, until… well, one day it was suddenly triggered by something and well, let's just say I was in no state to control the power by the time I understood what was going on with me." His voice dropped to an icy tone. "I was trapped by the people I trusted and used to do their will without being able to fight it!" he added bitterly. 

"Okay, and what if it didn't work on me? I mean, the Avada was reflected from me onto Voldemort too, right?" Harry bit down on his thumb, wondering.

"Salazar's heirs are known by their abilities. Even if you hadn't opened the Chamber yourself, it would have recognized you as possible heir. You must figure out what knowledge, power or trace it left on you. It might be triggered by something as it did with me. I don't know, but be careful for when it happens… If you happen to be his full reincarnation, he might sooner or late take over your mind. You cannot allow Salazar to take over!!" he said strongly closing his fist.

Harry shuddered at the thought of being vanquished from his own body. "Can't you tell me how I'll know?"

"I don't know, maybe your behavior will start changing or you start talking in odd ways with the old accent…" the other shrugged.

"I meant the trigger." Harry said.

Another shrug followed. "I said I don't know."

Taking a deep breath Harry asked instead: "Can't that be stopped?"

"The only thing that might do so would probably be in the chamber itself."

"Great! Like I care to absorb an old spirit in my mind!!" he snapped annoyed.

"Whatever happens Potter, you must not, under any circumstances, let yourself be forced or start any kind of relationship with Draco Malfoy." The hooded man said standing up and walking to the window looking outside. "I already spoke to Draco about this, and I think he understood it… He told me you and he had discovered the secret about your families and that you were nothing more than friends."

Harry gapped at him unbelievingly. "Wait… are you saying that Draco is also an heir to Slytherin? I don't understand, what would be wrong in being friends with him?" How dared this stranger get involved in his personal matters? Harry felt anger rise in him.

"It's not that you can't be friends… It's that you can't be anything closer than that!" The man spun around and Harry suddenly felt in the presence of a dark being as through the clouds the moon's light shone into the room over the man. "You parents sacrificed their lives in order for you never to be bonded to Draco!"

Harry paled. "Wha… what?" his breathing was coming in short gasps.

"Harry the spell your parents did on you was to avoid that you would be forced to marry Draco and have children with him." The man pushed his hood back his hair keeping his face in shadows. "The power of a pure blood Slytherin would be unimaginable especially in the hands of Lucius Malfoy."

"I … I… I don't understand." Harry whispered starring at the man.

"I'll better show you or you won't believe it…" The other raised his hand and Harry's green eyes starred in shook as a spell hit him.

*~*~*~*~*

Closing the door behind him Severus barely managed not to run into Lucius Malfoy.

"Lucius." Severus said a little startled to meet the other this late at night here.

"Severus, what are you doing here?" the blond asked eyeing him curiously. It was unusual that Severus ran around here with his mask on.

"I came to check on a book on Potions from the Dark Ages." He lied straight ahead. "What about you?"

"I came to see our Lord of course." Lucius smirked. "By the way, didn't Draco tell you that I wanted to speak to you urgently?"

"Yes, but there were other things I had to attend to first. Dumbledore is starting to suspect something and I'm sure our Lord wouldn't be pleased if I failed on spying for him." He answered calmly back in an annoyed tone.

"Ah, yes, of course…" Lucius eyed him for a moment "I'll better be going then. Good night Severus."

The Potion Master didn't respond and watched the other disappear behind a corner. Narrowing his eyes in annoyance and impatience he moved on to check the next floor. It wouldn't do good to run into Lucius again. The man wouldn't let himself be lied to a second time. 

Feeling the tension and bad feeling inside growing he continued down the corridor. He was starting to pray to any god, if there was one, to take the time to fucking help him find the stupid boy! 

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

I feel heavy, my body hurts, and it feels as though my bones are dissolving and my skin pealing of me. I don't understand… It's so painful, and yet my body feels relived at the same time. It is as though some heavy weight was lifted of it…

I have to reopen my eyes… I can do it… But all I see is blackness… and then the red eyes that have so often come in my dreams…

And with sudden understanding I stare at Voldemort…


	7. Chapter 06 Part 1 END

A/N: Don't kill me for this… Please… Chapter 6 

Sometimes I wonder who I am. I wear a mask for people, to hide behind. I fear their judgment and do not wish to hear my cry.

I see them in the eyes and all I can see is a reflection of myself, another mask in this ball that hides our thoughts and emotions.

Cowards are the humans, all of us, there is no exception, for that is our nature. We are pretenders walking side by side. We greet and laugh, we cry and talk but all in all we don't know the other, we don't even know ourselves.

Humans are like little Christmas presents underneath the tree. Waiting to be opened one day, yet all there is for now is the rattling and the guessing of the surprise inside.

Somehow I don't feel proud of what I am, for the more I think of me and the rest of the world, the more I come to realize that everyday in and everyday out I live a lie. A lie masked by others and me. A lie that is just… me…

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

Harry starred up at the face of Tom Riddle holding out his hand for him to reach. What was going on? He didn't understand.

"Let me help you up." Tom Riddle said waiting for Harry to reach back.

But the Gryffindor couldn't. He only could stare at the young face of the man who had so often in the past tried top kill him and hurt those around Harry. A sudden panic and anger rose within his body and Harry slapped the hand away glaring up in fury.

"Why should I?" he cried out and silenced immediately. He reached with his hand to his neck. Something was wrong with his voice; it was too high. It wasn't the way he was used to hear it. With wide eyes he starred down at himself and noticed the tightness of his shirt. He let his hand wander lower and came to a halt feeling an unfamiliar chest. 

"You see, Harry, the reason why you parents died was because you can give birth to a pure blood heir if you marry Draco." Tom said with a painful expression. "Your parents opposed me, when I tried to kill you, in the knowledge that if Lucius ever found out that you were not a boy, you would become either the next successor to Slytherin or bear his children." He knelt down in front of Harry. "You father being of the line of Slytherin had been brought up with the ancient legend about our families, the curse that runs in all our bloods. You must understand this Harry, the Malfoy family has over the last thousand years always controlled the dark rising believing that those were the true teachings and believes of Slytherin. Every member of the Malfoy family was warned of ever opening the chamber, their line is the purest and it wouldn't do them any good if Salazar awakened and tried to control what they had tried to gain during the last centuries. They never make their own hands dirty, they let other gain the blame for their games of power."

Harry shivered unwillingly but seeing the truth in the words the other spoke. No, that was not it, she could sense and somehow she knew that Tom Riddle was speaking the truth.

"In other words Harry, the Malfoy family has always kept a close look on the other blood lines related to Slytherin and tried to control whoever opened the chamber and use him or her as their tool. You see, child, when you open the chamber some powers are transferred into the heir and some of the old wizard's memories as well. But for the body and the mind of the heir to adjust to all this, the magical defenses are lowered completely and the heir is left for the time of a year almost like a normal muggle. The magic that he can use is altogether nothing and that is when the Malfoys have always acted. They would capture the barely awakened heir and put him under various mind-controlling curses. In my case it was mostly the Imperio." He sighed heavily. "Lucius' grandfather caught me outside after Quidditch training and kept me under his control until I more or less died." He smiled briefly."  When I came back Lucius re-forced the spell on me once again." Tom's eyes were suddenly filled with pain that struck Harry as unnatural. No one should hold that much suffering in them. But before he could question or say anything of what he had been told, Tom continued to speak: "Your father knew about this and he tried, when I asked him to join our side, to undo the spell on me. But before I could warn him of the consequences of doing such, the second spell that had been put on me was activated. It was a trap for all those who tried to free the successor of Salazar's power. The spell ordered me to destroy James Potter and those closest to him in return. And so when I went to their house the only thing that burned in my mind was the message to kill all Potters…" Tom paused for a moment seeing Harry's horrified gaze. "Harry, even though you were able to defeat me then, the spell was still active and that was the reason why I did not truly die but came back and have been trying to get rid of you ever since. Yet when I transferred your blood two years ago into this new body, I gained the ability to see past the spell your parents had put on you and also it somehow lifted part of the second curse from me, meaning that I am no longer being controlled and manipulated to kill you. At least as long as Lucius doesn't order it directly to me…" The last he added in a whisper.

"I…" Harry's green eyes starred in disbelieve at the other. "I don't believe you." Her breath was coming in short gasps and her mind and thoughts were dazzling every way of thinking.

Sighing heavily once more Tom sat down on the ground next to Harry taking his hands of the girls shoulder. "I didn't expect you too." He extended again his hands towards Harry, this time holding his wand out. "Would you like to see if what I tell you is the truth?"

*~*~*~*~*

The castle was finally at silence after a long night of finding injured students and staff members and taking care of them. The prefects had gathered the remaining students into the Great Hall where they were currently sleeping they way they had done in third year. Hermione looked over to Ron who was glancing up at the ceiling in worry. After three long hours they had to give up on finding Harry and Professor McGonagall had assured them that he would surely be back in no time, and that Harry probably was somewhere in the infirmary and since it was well overfilled it might be possible that they had simply not seen him. 

They obviously hadn't believed her. Especially not after Malfoy had asked them about four times if they had seen Potter. The blond had acted awfully strange all night long and even now Hermione could see him sitting on the other side of the room leaning against the wall unable to find rest like them. Maybe the boy wasn't as annoying as she always thought, maybe Draco Malfoy could prove to be the opposite of what she had always seen him and then again maybe she was just trying to come up with some good excuses for his behavior tonight. 

"Ron, you don't think Harry is still somewhere in the castle maybe waiting for help, do you?" she whispered to him.

He shook his head as he moved his sleeping bag closer to her and turned to the side to face her. "You don't imagine that they told the search on everyone else off if there was still the possibility of students missing?" He messaged the bridge of his nose thoughtfully. "Then again, I'm not sure what to think."

They remained in silence for a while and she watched as her friend started to drift off to sleep as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Did you see Snape around anywhere?"

Ron opened sleepily an eyebrow. "What?"

"I didn't see Snape after the encounter in the hallway…" she pointed out slowly.

Ron was suddenly awake again and he sat abruptly up glancing down at her shocked. Farther behind Ron Hermione saw Malfoy turn to them, but his face remained hidden to her sight in the shadows of the dark room.

"You don't think You-know-who …" Ron didn't dare to continue.

Hermione tugged herself further into her sleeping bag. "I don't now, Ron. All I can say is that I don't like all this…I have a feeling that something's coming up and I believe we're not going to like it one bit…"

*~*~*~*~*

Turning at the end of the corridor Severus stumbled into someone. A scowl crossed his features as he recognized Peter Pettigrew crawling on the ground holding some dead animal in his arms.

"What are you filthy Gryffindor traitor doing here?" Severus snarled annoyed. He was sick of stalking around these halls without any sign of Potter anywhere. He was tiered from the lack of sleep and his nerves were on the verge to make him over boil due to the earlier encounter with Lucius.

The man looked fearful up at the dark haired man holding the dead animal to his chest as he stumbled back to his feet. "I'm… I'm feeding the Master's pet." He stuttered.

Glaring menacingly at the man Severus slid pass him ignoring him, then suddenly spun around and took three large steps towards Pettigrew. Towering over him he narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Where's the Lord?" he hissed in the tone he normally had reserved for whenever Longbottom had caused another disaster.

Peter flinched under the gaze of the other man nervously back hitting the wall with his elbow and letting the dead creature fall to the dirty ground. "I… I…"

"Well?" Severus hissed darkly.

"He's a floor below in his study." Peter spilled out. "He… He ordered to be left alone."

Severus turned around again, his robes billowing around him dramatically. "I shall see for myself." And he headed back downstairs.

*~*~*~*~*

Lowering her arm Harry could only stare at the spells hovering around Tom Riddle. The were countless waves of energy surrounding him, but what impressed Harry the most was the fact that there were normally invisible magical strings attached to Riddle's heart. It was the sign for someone standing under the influence of an Imperio, but unlike the ones he had been shown the year before, these strings were ripped slightly. Meaning that the spell was no longer a hundred percent functional. Voldemort had been speaking the truth. 

The wand fell to the ground as Tom Riddle gathered to his feet and walked towards Harry stopping to pick his wand from the ground and tugging it back into his sleeve.

"It's not a nice sight, right?" Tom smiled weakly. "The first time I saw the amount of spells placed on me I thought that it was still a wonder I had a mind to think although not to act." Tom sighed walking over to a shelf and pulling out a dusted book. He blew the cover of dust of before flipping through the pages and he nodded Harry to come closer. 

Somehow recovering from the sight she had just witnessed she made her way to the other young man as he turned and trusted the book into Harry's hands.

"This is the spell your parents used on you." He pointed at the pages marked by age. "The one on this side is the one that makes you turn again the way you were used to know yourself until now. And this one…" He turned the page. "It's the one that reverses it. You might want to learn them or you can rip the pages out and take them with you before you leave again."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You were planning to let me go back."

"What? Where you thinking I let Lucius get a hold on another heir of Slytherin." Tom laughed annoyed. "Why would I want that, don't you think the world has enough to handle with me, would be bad to ruin Harry Potter's reputation by making him turn dark."

"Very funny." Harry growled ripping the pages of the book and tugging them into her pyjama's pocket to check out later.

Tom sighed and put the book back into its place. "Anyway, I think it would be better if you went back again. I'm sure they will notice your absence sooner or later and I certainly don't want Dumbledore coming here demanding you back." Tom made his way over to his cloak and put the hood over again. "Let's go, wouldn't be good to have anyone else notice your presence here."

"Wait."

Tom turned puzzled to her.

"Why did you tell me all this?" Harry asked frowning.

Tom shrugged. "I though someone should tell you about your family history…"

Crossing her arms Harry asked suspiciously: "Was that the only reason?" 

Tom sighed again, Potter was causing him to do this way to often. "Fine, I'll tell you." He passed a hand over his face. "Actually it has to do with the fact that I want to try out how much I can go against Lucius plan without actually giving away that I'm interfering. After being over 50 years without real freedom of speech and action, I though it was about time that I did what I thought was right. And that involved telling you the truth."

"Okay…" Harry said slowly. "Just one more thing…"

Tom leaned his head to the side waiting.

"You're not expecting me to go back as a girl while I'm still in my mind a guy no matter what I should look like."

The Dark Lord laughed amused and took his wand out. "Of course not, but it might be painful, I mean it does change you for real. It's not a mere illusion."

Harry shrugged. "I don't care, that's who I am."

"If you say so." And again he chanted a spell on Harry and she could feel her body being forcefully changed into a form that was in her mind her own but that nature had not designed for her.

Harry was left panting on the ground as Tom approached him concerned. "You alright?"

"More or less…"

Suddenly the door was opened and they both stared up in surprise at Lucius Malfoy walked in with a couple of Death Eaters.

*~*~*~*~*

Severus lowered his mask to message tiredly his eyes. He stopped doing this as he heard voices around the corner where he stood. Glancing around he saw Lucius walk into Voldemort's study followed by a hand full of other Death Eaters. A cold shudder ran down his spine as he heard a crashing sound followed by Potter's voice crying out in pain. Closing his eyes and trying to remain calm he quickly made his way over stepping inside. Voldemort held Potter by the neck of his nightshirt and was pinning him to a shelf. Various books seemed to have fallen out and were currently lying around Voldemort and Potter.

He approached Lucius casually. "What's going on?" he glanced over at the blond resisting the need to aid Potter who was looking scared at them.

"I have not the slightest idea. But it seems our Lord somehow got his hand on Dumbledore's Golden Boy."  Answered the other plainly.

From the corner of his eyes Severus saw Lucius narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Then Voldemort let Potter fall to the ground and the boy crawled back away from him coming to a stop at the shelf behind him. Green eyes starred up at the Dark Lord. Confusion was visibly at them before they started to scan their surroundings and they made a stop on him widening in surprise. If it was possible, Potter seemed suddenly more afraid than before.

"My Lord." Lucius started and Voldemort turned his head to them. Red eyes glaring menacingly at them, Severus shuddered; the man was a walking killing machine. "Maybe you should leave Potter to someone else?" Lucius continued and Severus knew that he was asking for the boy to be handed over to him.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes dangerously; Severus caught something in them that was unusual before the man turned to glance down at the cowering figure of the Gryffindor at his feet.

"Yes… maybe you're right…" Voldemort said slowly. "I'm sure one of you would love to break him." He said, his voice hinting what he meant.

Severus heart froze still for a moment. They were suggesting to rape the boy and he could see that Potter had realized the same as he did because he tried to get away, but Voldemort got a hold of the back of his shirt and lifted him up from the ground walking towards Lucius. The boy was whimpering, struggling to get away. 

Lucius smirked and held his arms up to receive the boy but instead Potter was pushed against Severus. 

"Prove your loyalty to me Snape. Break him… Leave nothing but a mere shadow of what I see now!" he growled promising death with his eyes if Severus dared to oppose him. "There's a room through that door there. Have your fun and leave nothing of Harry Potter that can be gathered back into Dumbledore's little toy."

"My Lord!" Lucius protested. "Snape? I could-"

"I know what you could, but you see, I have been hearing that our little Potion Master here is supposedly betraying me. " A cold shudder ran down Severus back as Potter whimpered against him. "With this he can prove not only his faith in me but also break what is in my way." A feral smirk appeared on his face.

Severus held onto the shivering form against him and nodded slowly before dragging him out of there. His mind was struggling with finding a solution to this, but he was trapped. Damn it, he had told Dumbledore that this was not going to be a good idea to send him for the boy!

Voldemort nodded to the other Death Eater's but Lucius to leave. The door closed behind them leaving them alone.

"What were you thinking?" Lucius hit Tom's face sending him flying across the room.

The young man passed a hand over his lips spitting blood. "Potters tend to be uncontrollable, we had enough trouble with his father, we don't need this one around either." He hissed getting back up.

"So you gave him to Snape?" The blond asked angrily.

"So, he has no use anyway. It's not like we could use him to reproduce with your son!" he snapped.

"Never oppose me again." Lucius snapped back raising his wand and hitting Tom with a Cruciatus. "I'm not one of your stupid Death Eaters!"

Tom nodded submissively controlling the pain and trying hard not to cry out. "I understand." He whimpered, as the spell was broke off again.

Turning around Lucius walked out of the room slamming the door close behind him. Tom was left alone crying for his inability to have helped Harry more, and his own imprisonment by the dark.

*~*~*~*~*

Draco glanced away from Weasley as the boy settled back into his sleeping back. He had a horribly feeling. Something was going to happen, he could tell. Harry didn't simply disappear. If his father had anything to do with this then… What then? He laid his head on his knees tiredly. There was nothing he could do. He cursed annoyed under his breath. 

Also he hadn't told Harry about Tom Riddle. The other didn't know about the curse that ran in their family and that meant that he was in a great risk considering that his father wanted him either dead or under his control. 

To be true he had no idea why it seemed so important for his family to continue with the line of Slytherin, why would they want to bring back a Dark Wizard? Wasn't it enough with Riddle who had somehow managed to outwit death?

He turned back to glance discreetly over to Weasley and Granger. Maybe if he told them about their friendship with Harry he might get some information out of them, that was, if they knew anything he didn't know. He doubted that…

He was worried for the safety of his cousin, but he wouldn't break the promise of keeping their family relationship a secret for as long as possible. 

He would simply have to trust in the adults to find Harry in one piece. Problem to this was that he didn't have the patience to remain quietly here doing absolutely nothing… 

He sighed. This was going to be a long night.

*~*~*~*~*

His eyes were filled with fear. He was scared, and not only for himself. He looked up at his Professor's face marked by the sheer pressure of their situation. They stood opposed to one another in the middle of the room, after Snape had closed the door and let him go. There were two choices now. Harry was clear of that. One concluded in Snape throwing off his disguise as a spy and running off with Harry. Sadly this might compromise Tom's current position and Lucius Malfoy would see through Voldemort's lie and punish him severely. And later on who knew what he might do to Snape. 

None of them moved. Snape just glared at him probably wondering the same thing Harry was. Trying to find a way out of this. Harry would have found the fact amusing that the man hadn't threatened to kill him yet for falling into the Dark Lord's hands, if the situation weren't this serious.

The second choice Harry saw was that he would have to give in and give himself to his Professor. This would not only assure Tom's safety, but would also place Snape as a loyal servant to his lord in front of the other Death Eaters. Humiliating as this choice was, it would provide less deaths in the long run. Harry was sure he had witnessed enough of those to last him a lifetime. 

But then seeing the whole matter from another perspective, Harry realized, that no matter which choice he took, it would end with someone being hurt. Either him or Snape… 

So gathering all his courage together Harry took a deep breath and stepped closer to the Potion Master. Dark eyes narrowed at him curiously. What would Harry choose? What would Snape choose?

Feeling his breathing accelerating slowly Harry reached up with trembling hands for the man's face. "I trust you." He whispered before rising to stand on the tip of his toes and pressed their lips tentatively together. The choice was made; Harry could no longer back out. Leaning back as he got no respond he saw the Potion Master starring at him with wide coal black eyes.

"Did I do something…?" Harry asked him softly.

" …No…" Snape replied slowly. 

The word rolled off his tongue as Snape's gaze automatically fixed itself on him. Numerous voices echoed in his head in an abundance of shouts and hollers, some held reason while others didn't. Confusing and unnatural emotions stirred through both of them. Snape started to move closer and Harry became conscious of the change in his gaze. The calm and cold black darkened even more into a look that could be described almost as feral and untamed as his frame towered over Harry. For some unexplainable reason it caused Harry to tremble making his breathing come out tense and shaky.

"I just hope you are sure of the choice you're making…" Snape finished wanting to add 'for us' but unable to pronounce the words.

The lips stayed parted and before Harry knew it Snape had craned his head to meet his. Like a surge of thunder shocking through water, Harry felt every cell of his body absorbed of any coherent thoughts. He could barely breath. There was something stirring deep within him trying to awake. The feeling increased as the mouth against him opened parting his own lips with this action and his whole being seemed to be on fire as their tongues entwined.

Harry let out a quivering gasp as the mouth left his own and traveled along his earlobe. 

The sound that the boy made accompanied by heavy breathing made Snape grasp Harry's arm and haul him against his body. There was something unnatural to this. He somehow could sense it. The moment the boy's lips had first mad contact with his there had been a wave of magic expanding from Harry into his own body. Sensations that were suddenly unbound, rules that no longer were important forgotten, sinking into a state of mind in which the only thing that was needed was the contact between him and that child.

Harry closed his eyes drowning in emotions that he couldn't control as fingertips ran over his face slowly wandering lower until there was a palm against his neck pushing the fabric of his shirt to the side while another hand wandered over his waist encircling him making this sudden desire almost impossible to bear. His heart was pounding madly and so loud that he would have sworn that Snape could hear it, if he had been able to think at all. Another sharp moan escaped him as the hand on his collarbone forced the shirt away causing buttons to get ripped off and fall to the ground. Snape's lips moved lower trailing a path down his face and his neck, lower and lower, and Harry found himself entwined in this urge to give his all to this man who was accelerating the contact between his nerves, the one whose hand was pushing his shirt further back until it gave into gravity, falling off him. He threw his head back wanting to give more access to the other as the mouth continued to move.

Desire raged through Snape's blood pumping through every vein and the fact that the boy was submitting to this drove him on. And it wasn't until he reached in between his tights that Snape's mind reeled him back into reality causing him to pull away flustered. He somehow managed to focus on the boy in his arms whose raged breathing was clouding his own thoughts again slowly. He watched at those green eyes opened still panting furiously and locked with his. Severus was overwhelmed by the frantically wild fury of emotions in them, it was a ferocity of chaotic desires that surged through Potter and streamed out of every pore into the air surrounding them. Drugging their minds and sucking them dry of every reason. Snape tried to speak but the burning heat didn't allow any coherent words to be formed, instead it lulled him back to that body that was waiting to be devoured by him.

Whispered words echoed through his mind as a low hissing voice spoke in his head forcing Harry to pronounce them out loud. Torn between his uncontrollable emotions and the magic tearing him from within, Harry somehow found the strength to mutter them. And with every word that escaped his panting lungs the desire rose to an intolerable level in which his mind suddenly stopped to work and his own needs trapped him. The sound of snakes lurking about him gliding over his skin, slithering their path burning Harry's skin, made him scream out. His eyes widened as they could only witness darkness around him, but the heavy weight on top of him assured Harry that he wasn't alone. The caress of hands marked their path over his stomach and he threw his head back again as a hand started to stroke him, throwing fuel into the fire that was consuming him. The hissing sounds from the snakes hypnotized him and Harry could no longer stop himself from chanting the words they spoke. 

It was too much, all of this… the hunger for completion mixed with the pain of fingers that were stretching him, was drowning his sanity. And then suddenly there was a moment of emptiness and loss. Harry had become a shell. He was hanging in the air waiting for the moment to pass. And it did as he was filled. His face contorted in pain but as it slid out of him again and back inside, it made contact with something that made him loose his breath. And it happened again and again. Harry could hear himself pleading for more as magic wielded through him trying to break free. The energy was overflowing and he felt his entire body rip apart as ecstasy exploded in him leaving him drained and yet satisfied before he sank further into the darkness.

*~*~*~*~*

A hand rattled him awake. Opening his eyes, Harry found himself starring up at a dark ceiling in a dark room. He turned his face to look at whoever had woken him, his body was aching everywhere and it felt heavy. He didn't think he could move.

"Harry focus!" The blur of a person next to him ordered in a whisper as he placed Harry's glasses on their owner.

The world became suddenly clear and he locked eyes with a pale looking Dark Lord. Tensing immediately he tried to sit up but his body hurt too much that he fell back into the mattress.

"Listen Harry, you have to get out of here. I have arranged for an escape, but you must hurry." Tom said reaching out with his hands to Harry's arm and forcing him up. 

The Gryffindor almost screamed in pain, his skin felt as though he had sunburn. "My body…" he croaked, his voice sounded dry as though he had been screaming for too long. Suddenly he remembered why. His face paled as he grabbed onto Tom to find a hold. "Oh god! Snape!" His green eyes glanced quickly throughout the room, but it was empty for exception of them and the bed in which he sat.

Tom shook him again by the shoulders and Harry's face filled again with pain. "Now is not the time for that! Lucius wants to get rid of you once you wake up. Harry you have to get out of here!" The Dark Lords' eyes were pleading. "He will be here in the morning and so will be the other Death Eaters."

"I…" Harry started but Tom laid a hand on his lips. 

"Your clothing are over there." The other said. "I don't have much time, so listen. There is a loose brick on the wall next to the door. Push it and it will lead to a secret passageway. Follow to the end and you will end up down in the sewer. Continue all the way following the flow of the water and it will lead you to a small forest outside of the mansion. Keep going north, follow the North Star; it's the brightest on the sky, until you reach a clearing. I have left a portkey for your return there. It's a silver plate. You can't miss it." A brief smile crossed Tom's lips as he gently touched Harry's cheek with his hand. "I'm sorry for what happened Harry… I can't apologize enough… but-" Tom spun around and for the first time Harry noticed that there was a large snake in the shadow of the dark room at the door. It had lifted his upper body in the air as though it wanted to strike down on an enemy. "Someone's coming…" Tom whispered before turning back to Harry. "Good luck…" and with this he walked quickly to the door, the snake glancing with its yellow eyes back at Harry before both disappeared behind the door.

*~*~*~*~*

Harry hid behind a bush catching his breath, his lungs burned for air, his head ached from the pain of his scar; he couldn't walk because of what had happened, his clothing were shred, his arms and legs and probably face were covered with scratches. He sat down on the ground bringing his legs up to him and resting his head on them. He was tired, scared, cold and wet from the rain and the icy night wind. He wished he could simply collapse right were he was and forget about the world outside his mind, but he knew he couldn't. It would only be a matter of time before the Death Eaters noticed he had been released, or better yet, escaped. If that happened all off them would sooner or later force him out of his hiding. The only thing he could do was to get to the supposed portkey near the clearing, which would take him back to Hogwarts. He had to run; find the courage and non-remaining strength and run for it. But he couldn't, he ached, physically; the events of the night hadn't sunken in yet.

Suddenly he started to hear screams; orders; they were looking for him. Slowly he got back to his feet. His mind ordered him to run and yet his body was unable to oblige. He heard voices coming closer, the breaking of branches as they looked to find him. It was more animal instinct of danger that made him get up and run than his own thoughts. 

It was getting darker somehow, but he couldn't use any magic, not if he wanted to remain another shadow in the forest. He stumbled as his left foot tangled up in the bushes and his ankle twisted badly. He let out a muffled cry. But there was no time to stop. Painfully he got back to his feet looking back and seeing the closer coming lights of the Lumos. He ran on biting his lower lip each time the pain flared from his ankle up his leg. He had no idea how long the way still was, no reasoning of time whatsoever.

He fell again, but this time his head hit something hard, something metal. He must have lost consciousness for a moment, for when he opened his eyes he could hear the Death Eaters a few feet away. Alarmed he looked for a way to escape. He noticed that his glasses had broken and that he could only open one eye. But that was all he needed. There was the blurry image of the portkey next to his head. With blood smeared fingers he reached for it, instantly feeling being sucked into it. And as he looked exhausted up, he knew he was safe… he was back in the entrance Hall of Hogwarts.

*~*~*~*~*

Opening slowly his eyes he focused on the concerned face of Professor McGonagall. He smiled wearily closing them again as he let himself fall back into the comforting darkness.

The next time he awoke there were Dumbledore and Snape there too, right behind McGonagall who sat next to him.

"Harry, how are you?" she asked, he hair was hanging around her shoulders and she looked tiered as thought she hadn't had a good night rest.

He closed his eyes again taking a deep breath. His head hurt as though it was about to explode.

"Fine." He managed to reply, no lie, considering what he had gone trough. At the memory his body tensed visibly and he rolled heavily to the side hiding his face in his hands and curling up in a fetal position.

"Harry, what happened?" Dumbledore laid a hand on his shoulder and Harry slapped it reflexively off. He starred shocked at his own action.

"I don't want to talk right now…" he looked ashamed away and hid under the covers as he pulled them over his head.

"Harry…"

"I don't want to talk." He snapped at McGonagall rather rudely back. His nerves were still on the edge from the escape. His body still seemed to be filled with adrenaline. He put his arms around himself at the though of how he had laid there under Snape. How the man's slightest care had left a fire where he had touched him. How he had given his body for that man's life, to protect him of the Death Eater's wrath. God, he had wanted it differently, not like this, not something forced. How foolish must this have seemed in Snape's eyes? The man who hated him to be ordered to… to…

"Harry."

Professor McGonagall's voice brought him out of his thought again. But he did not reply. He didn't have the strength to confess anything to anyone, even less to those who tried to protect him. It was already bad enough that Snape knew. He curled up more. He lacked the courage to confess, maybe he was indeed Slytherin as the Sorting Hat had intended, for he was sure that what his foolish action had caused, could not have come from a normal Gryffindor. And there was again another point. He was not normal, he was… he was… what exactly was he?

"Harry." The Gryffindor's Head of House tried again. "It is not good for you to eat everything up in you. Please Harry, tell us what happened so we can help you."

And that was the problem. He couldn't be helped; he had forced Snape to fuck him. Because that is what it must have been for the Potion Master… a fuck… with a man… a boy… his student… his _hated_ student… with _Harry Potter._

Suddenly he felt dirty. It was the sickening feeling of nausea and disgust with himself, for his stubbornness, his idiocy, his weakness… and for what Snape must feel for him right now. Surely the man hated him more than ever now.  Probably more than he would have hated his earlier self and Sirius Black together.

"Potter…" and there was the voice, no harm in it, but nothing else as well. "What happened?"

He chuckled as tears rolled down his eyes. He didn't know what to believe anymore. This emotional torture was worse than any Unforgivable Curse Voldemort could use. He let out a hysteric laugh; maybe it was a cry. Who cared? He threw the covers aside and sat abruptly up glaring hurtfully at his Potion Master, tears uncontrollable now, thankful that he had no glasses to see the man's face, merely a blur of dark colors.

"What do you want to hear?" he cried out closing his fingers around the sheets in frustration. "That Voldemort summoned me trough my dream? That he trapped me? That I was tortured? That I was able to flee trough the forest? How it felt to have a pack of Death Eaters after me?!!" he turned away. "Are you happy now??! Let me rest, I'm tired and I have classes tomorrow!!" With this he let himself fall back onto the mattress pulling the sheets back over him, hiding again. Curling up, he cried, not caring if others saw it, just hoping that sleep would take pity on him and let him succumb again to the darkness. He was barely aware as the professors left.

"Tom… Why did you have to tell me? … Why me? …" And sleep finally answered his prayer.

*~*~*~*~*

Severus Snape froze in his movement at the silent voice coming from the bed.

"Tom… Why did you have to tell me? … Why me? …"

The Potion Master frowned. _Tom?_

"Severus?" Minerva called from the door.

He shock his head, he would talk to the boy later, they _had_ to talk…

~~~~~~~~°~~~~~~~~

I can feel the dense air around me, no longer can I dream, no longer can I tell what is real… Am I even awake? I turn in these endless and empty hallways of Hogwarts. The sound of my shoes against the stone is the only sound I can hear and it echoes loudly on and on. 

There is no destiny, no path I really can follow. I'm trapped by strings on my body forcing me to move on. Unable to escape, unable to run or hide... My mind is clouded by memories I cannot place. 

Again I turn as I reach the end of the corridor and continue my walk through this place. And slowly I can hear in rhythm to my steps the low hiss of a snake. It's trying to tell me something, but I'm too far and the strings hold me back like a puppeteer his doll. I'm no longer free I realize… 

But why?

Once more the path ends and I turn. This time I stop and meet with a man, tall and clothed in dark colors. His back is turned to me and as I try to ask who he is, I see his face turn slowly to me. Green eyes like mine, hair black… like mine… but he's tall… so unlike me… And when I lower my eyes I see in his hands the cords that lead to me… 

I'm trapped…

His doll…

No longer on my own…

He has awakened.

**END PART I**

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A/N: So, did you enjoy it this far? As said before, Part 2 will be a little darker on the mood… I'll try to post it soon.


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